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Gianni has a vocal style not too dissimilar to JJ Cale and an uncanny knack of generating great

acoustic riffs that bed down nicely into great blues grooves. He has developed his own individual
style. I’m really warming to all these Italian blues artists.

Ged Wilson

Professor Louie & The Crowmatix—Strike Up The Band—
Woodstock Records WR69

Nine of the ten original numbers on this, the sixteenth album

from the Professor & The Crowmatix, have been written by

Professor Louie (he also sits in the producer’s chair) and Miss
Marie and one was co-written by Miss Marie and John Platania.

They were recorded at the LRS Studios in Hurley, New York.

Aaron ‘Professor Louie’ Hurwitz is on vocals, and Hammond B3
organ, piano, keyboards and accordion, he is joined by The

Crowmatix who are Miss Marie Spinosa, vocals, percussion, piano; Gary Burke, drums, percussion

and horn arrangements; Frank Campbell bass and vocals with John Platania, electric and acoustic
guitars. Horns are supplied by The Woodstock Horns.

Throughout the album there is an atmosphere of enticing and relaxing rural Americana. The album
opens with ‘A Thousand Ways To Freedom’, which is a rolling, rousing gospel influenced acapella

and piano led honky tonk. In a similar vein is the slower ‘Tick Tock’, which is a tale of time eroding

the chances a lovelorn suitor. The very relaxed slide driven blues from Miss Marie ‘Fall Back On

Me’, is an inviting shoulder to cry on or more, perhaps? The upbeat and stirring toe tapper ‘Livin’ In

This Country’, is quite simply a blues rocking, rollicking ode to the values of the American way of
life. Whereas, ‘Golden Eagle’, is very pleasant mixture of accordion, forlorn trumpet and gently

picked acoustic guitar, that puts you in some faraway border-town cantina. ‘End Of The Show’, is a

vocally angelic emotional ballad that features a soaring B3, while an understated guitar works away

underneath. The anthem/hymn ‘Flaming Ray’, is an acoustic guitar and piano piece that slowly

builds into an epic ballad complete with emotively delivered vocals, shining horns and soaring
violins.

Invitingly mellow!

Brian Harman.